MANGA REVIEW | "Mashle: Magic and Muscles" - Volume Fourteen
Bad news for Mashle: Magic and Muscles fans: Mash is still out of commission. Like, for real, not even a month’s supply of cream puffs will get the poor guy out of the space between life and death. So how will Volume Fourteen manage to give us something worthy of the Mashle name without the series’s namesake? Well, I guess it’s time for Hajime Komoto to call upon a true hero to save the day. And that hero is…
…no.
Okay, joking aside, this volume is one where Mash’s friends actually shine brightly. We first have Finn breaking from his usually cowardly means, as his brother Rayne fights nearly to the death against one of Innocent Zero’s cronies. While Finn has had a moment to shine here and there, the way he steps up to the game and showcases his new power is a sight to behold! Even better is when he and Rayne team up to deal with the Innocent Zero trash in the way only blood brothers could ever accomplish!
Then there’s Lance and Dot, who are also dealing with a pudding-loving foe. While Dot has the power of stubbornness on his side, Lance uses some tricks that might raise an eyebrow or two. On second thought, it’s actually more cringe than anything, especially due to the fact that it involves his undying love to his sister. (Please, for the love of Jack LaLanne, don’t go the Oreimo route, Komoto-san!) That’s when the two find the right way to defeat the enemy, using the most powerful magic of all: friendship!
Wait. **skims through the volume again** Okay, it’s a mixture of friendship and explosive magic. But Pudding Guy had it coming. He just had to use Lance’s sister to taunt him, which is a nice way to tell these two to not hold back and kill him. Lance’s act of sacrifice tags Dot in, who finally shows the kind of magic he’s got when in super serious mode. The end result is a final attack that’s both satisfying and hilarious, the latter due to what Pudding Guy sees as his life flashes before his eyes.
Lastly, there’s Lemon Irvine, who is protecting Mash’s body while it recovers. She’s been the butt of many jokes in the Mashle fandom, as her only contribution to the series is as a love interest that blossomed from the most trivial of things. But now, she’s got a villain with a nasty three-headed hound staring at her and the comatose Mash. So what can Lemon do, and could she maybe do something about that little Gator Boy?
Fortunately, Lemon’s got a way with animals, as she transforms the ferocious dog into a warm puppy. But it’s not enough for Lemon to sway the villain that’s aiming to kill Mash when he’s down. That’s when a Diivine Visionary shows up in the nick of time, and demonstrates why he’s earned that title. However, despite his power to wipe out an ally of Innocent Zero, he very much lacks the upper body strength to aid in revitalizing Mash.
So while Mash is still out of commission, the rest of the Mashle team have been able to take on Innocent Zero with strength and determination. Volume Fourteen shows how far along Komoto has come along visually, with every fight being a bombastic sight for the eyes. However, the lack of Mash himself being involved does hinder a bit of the fun that this series is known to showcase. But if this volume is anything to go by, there’ll soon be enough helpful hands from the Mashle world that can properly revive him. At least, I hope so…
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
